Megatron's Legacy
by Soldier of the Future
Summary: After the final battle in Chicago, the Decepticon leader takes his time to reflect on the things that Optimus Prime had tried to teach him throughout their past struggles. Based on the ending of DOTM's novelization.


_**Hey everyone. Soldier of the Future here again to bring you yet another short fanfic. Don't worry, I'm still on track with my featured fanfic, so well, ah, I'll just get down to business.**_

_**After watching Transformers: Dark of the Moon and reading the official novel of the film, I felt like the novel did a better job of making the story more "humane". That is, Optimus Prime spares Megatron's life in the novelization as opposed to ripping out his spine with his battleaxe. Don't get me wrong. I loved both works, but I thought the novel was more emotional.**_

_**That and I came across an excellent piece of Megatron fanart on deviantart. If anything, I think the artist nailed the Decepticon tyrant's gentle side. Perhaps our favorite Prime's archenemy really has a heart? Well, let's see.**_

_**Here's the art if anyone is interested: **_

_** goddessmechanic .deviantart gallery/#/d4boojw**_

_**(Make sure to eliminate the spaces!)  
><strong>_

_**It is an excellent piece of artwork as it forever changed my view on Megatron. Sure, he may be a heartless metal monster that sees humans as insects and bacteria, but perhaps, his spark holds a small ounce of compassion for us all? Because for one thing, he isn't completely evil. Just look at the other Transformers works-Megatron appears more to be a rival of Optimus as opposed to eternal foes. If anything, he wants to beat Optimus in a fair match as opposed to outright killing him. See the Generation 1 Transformers if you aren't convinced.**_

_**Without further ado, let's go! This is an oneshot so it isn't terribly long or whatsoever. I'm not too terribly familiar with Transformers nor am I skilled in the fandom of it, so this won't be as great as my other works.**_

_**If there are mistakes here, I'll fix it. I wrote this while I was on the bus going back to Ottawa after I finished my reading week break, so no doubts there will be faults here and there. Also, I don't own any of the characters here. They belong to their respective creators.  
><strong>_

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><p><strong>Megatron's Legacy<strong>

Chicago was in ruins, its once massive buildings either wrecked or damaged beyond recognition. The streets were littered with the charred remains of its once alive inhabitants, abandoned vehicles ranging from simple cars all the way to firetrucks, and the skyline was filled with small streams of smoke that originated from the fires caused by the Decepticon attack. The four year conflict on Earth between the Autobots and Decepticons had finally come to an end, with the majority of the invading leaders killed, such as the Fallen and the treacherous Autobot Sentinel Prime.

"I hereby declare the Autobot and Decepticon conflict to be as of a historic memory in our databanks and memories at this hour…" Optimus Prime declared as the final battle in Chicago drew to a close. The United States metropolis was once again secure, with the traitorous Sentinel Prime executed unceremoniously by the noble Autobot leader and the hundreds of Decepticon followers that obeyed his commands killed in action, their sparks forever extinguished. At the conclusion of the siege, the remaining Autobots and the soldiers that fought bravely alongside the honorable machines stood at the center of the battlefield, scarred and weary. It was over.

Cybertron was forever destroyed, the once flourishing homeworld for the Cybertronians race annihilated and lost for all of eternity in the far reaches of space when Sentinel attempted to bring the massive planet into Earth's atmosphere. The loss of Cybertron placed great grief and regret on Optimus's spark, although the last Prime believed humanity should not be forced to pay the price for his race's mistakes. As a staunch believer in freedom for all sentient beings, he was more than ready to sacrifice his home planet to keep that true should the need become a necessary. Unfortunately, for the surviving Cybertronians, that was the case. All the Autobots now had to assume Earth as their new home and live alongside the human race peacefully.

He looked on at his fellow soldiers and humans, and for the first time, he cracked a small smile on his battle-hardened yet compassionate-looking mechanical face, thankful for the bravery and courage that all his allies had displayed him today on the battlefield. Even though he was damaged beyond recognition and his right arm removed, the Autobot leader could only care about rebuilding the peace on Earth as the sun began to crest into the pre-afternoon sky.

"So…is that it?" Sam Witwicky asked cluelessly, his body equally battered and ruined like the rest of the combatants that participated in the battle.

"Yes, Sam. The war is finally over. I had not expected to sacrifice Cybertron, but it was a necessary sacrifice to prevent the Decepticons from enslaving the human race and Sentinel Prime's plans of transforming Earth into a wasteland," Optimus explained with a deep and noble tone. "Today's display is an example of how I will never forsake this planet and its people, no matter what the cost."

"Optimus, it's over. Cybertron is no more, and the Decepticons are all but a forgotten memory. However, there is still work to be done-we cannot abandon this planet's people nor do we have another world to reside in," Ratchet, his medical officer, spoke in a state of tiredness as he scanned the damage done to the city with his blue-colored optics.

"That it is, Ratchet. But I am pleased that there will be no more fighting as of now," his leader returned. "But we have a lot of cleanup work to accomplish here. The result of war ends with tasks that the victor must take care of…or hastily abandon. The latter option is not one of them."

The combat specialist, Sideswipe, brushed some rust from his arms as a result of being shot by Sentinel's cosmic rust gun, but unlike his comrade Ironhide, he did not suffer crucial damage so the end results were only rust from his arms. "Perhaps I'll get some neat experience of cleaning up. There are always new things to learn that can be applied in the arts of combat!"

"Indeed there is," Mirage ominously replied, reflecting his close-minded yet witty nature. "Although peacetime work isn't one of my traits. Perhaps human separatists will make great target practice."

"Neither is it mines," Leadfoot, one of the three Wreckers, spoke with a small tone of disgust in his voice. "But if you need a hand, I'm sure the Wreckers will lend you one. Ain't I right?"

"Sure thing!" Roadbuster answered eagerly. Topspin simply remained silent, for the third Wrecker rarely spoke.

"For one thing, it's going to take a long time to repair and rebuild Chicago considering what the Decepticons did here," William Lennox, the operation's commander during the battle, groaned. The black-uniformed soldiers that followed under his command viewed the damage around them, some of them showing varying facial expressions that ranged from anger to grief. Considering thousands of innocent lives had perished in the once populated city on the border of Lake Michigan, it was no doubt that the victory was a pyrrhic one. The Decepticons were forever banished, but at what cost? The four-year conflict on Earth that involved both the Cybertronians and humans had left irreparable damage to the planet, along with lives that could never be replaced. The collateral damage that the Autobot-Decepticon conflict caused on the blue planet was shockingly devastating, as many major cities throughout the world such as Shanghai and Paris were left with ruins.

"Cheer up, everyone," Tech Sergeant Epps advised. "We fought madly and emerged victorious with triumph. At the very least, we can look on towards a brighter future with our alliance with the Autobots."

"Epps speaks the truth!" Sam Witwicky added, hoping his compatriots, both old and new, could be a little more positive. "At least it's over now!"

"The boy speaks genuine honest words…the war is truly over," an ominous voice complimented.

Before anyone could say anything, Optimus knew where the all-but-too-familiar voice came from. The pitch and noise levels of the sound were burned into the memories of his spark from years of fighting and battlefield experience, and he knew very well that it was Megatron. The Autobot leader turned his armored head towards the source of the noise, and witnessed the Decepticon leader in all his terror and oppression-or at least, what used to be him.

The once heavily armored and battle-ready Cybertronian autocrat was nothing more than a rusted figure of what was once the mighty Megatron. Parts of his body were damaged beyond belief, and a part of his head was missing since Optimus blasted half of his face off during their last battle in Egypt. Escorted by several surviving Decepticon protoforms, the former defense commander of Cybertron and eternal enemy of Optimus Prime walked forward, unarmed, as his escorts followed.

"Megatron!" Sideswipe growled as he readied his Cybertanium swords. "So you've decided to come back for more?" At the same moment, Optimus's other fellow Autobots summoned their weapons, ranging from simple armored fists to plasma blasters as they prepared for yet another battle with the Decepticons, despite their status of being wounded and in need of medical treatment and repair.

"I ain't letting these fools get away for what they did to Que," Mirage added, remembering his scientist buddy being executed in cold spark by his foes. "If they want to continue brawling, let's take it to them! At least we can avenge Que's death!"

"The same goes for Jazz and the Arcee sisters. If the Decepticons are not willing to live up to their words, we are only giving them a chance to regroup and strike back at us again someday," Ratchet revealed, remembering how Megatron and his minions had mercilessly killed the Lieutenant and their infiltrator specialists in the previous battles on Earth.

Lennox and Epps' soldiers weren't comfortable with the Decepticon presence, either. The humans drew their assault rifles and heavy anti-armor weapons, ready to fire on Megatron and his subordinates on a moment's notice. It was only Optimus Prime that didn't perform any action aside from keeping a weary optic on his forever arch enemy.

"Hold your fire!" Lennox commanded loudly, ordering his troops to stand down. Sure, he knew the Decepticons were potentially hostile, but he didn't want more of his men killed out of a potential accident.

"The noble one speaks the truth…" Megatron growled in an exhausted fashion. "My men and I no longer see a need to continue fighting. Prime, if you may…as the leader of the Decepticons, I offer you a truce. My soldiers wish to reside to a peaceful life and discover new knowledge that we may not know of yet."

"Our almighty lord speaks the truth," a badly wounded protoform, clearly depicted as so as his right arm was missing, presumably shot off by an Autobot or a lucky human soldier. "It is here where there is no need to continue fighting. Cybertron is forever gone, and we wish to seek peace and a new life somewhere in the stars."

Optimus Prime was left speechless. This act was practically unheard of, considering Megatron and his soldiers were known to be barbaric and ruthless machines that only sought after destruction, oppression, and mayhem. The Autobot leader was more than willing to finish the battle with his opponent, but perhaps…just perhaps…he wished the disillusioned Decepticon commander would see the error of his ways, considering he was tricked by the Fallen, the last surviving member of the Dynasty of Primes on Cybertron. Like his brothers, the traitorous and Primal Cybertronian was ruthlessly wasted by Optimus in Egypt.

Although the human soldiers were far more accepting of a truce considering they were more focused on restoration work, the Autobots were not so willing of a peace offering from the Decepticons. Optimus, reflecting on his pacifistic and appreciation of tranquility, held up his remaining hand as a means of ordering his troops to stand down. "Stand down, Autobots. As the leader here, I am willing to accept Megatron's offering of a ceasefire."

"What!" Roadbuster spoke with outrage. "You can't be serious! The Decepticons can't be trusted, of all things! I'll call it peace when I eliminate their sparks!"

Even Ratchet had to agree with the Wrecker. "He is right. As much as I wish for a truce, they are far too dishonest to keep to their words. The war will only drag on if we place our trust within them."

"If you don't accept our leader's offering, we can continue this! Sentinel may be done for, but our supreme leader will carry the war on if you choose to continue fighting him!" another Decepticon protoform barked as he leveled his automatic energy weapon at the Autobots. Too bad he came to realize that his foes far outgunned him, as the sheer number of human troops and their Cybertronian allies had all their armaments trained on him, his companions, and Megatron.

"You're outgunned, punk," Sideswipe sneered. "Surrender is your only option aside from death. Don't you agree, Optimus?" He glanced at his commander. "Optimus? Were you even paying attention? Come on, don't give us the cold shoulder now! This decision may only lead to more warfare and turmoil."

However, the Autobot commander, reflecting his compassionate and forgiving side, chose to give his arch nemesis a second chance but despite being a relatively peaceful leader that only wished to fight when it was totally necessary, decided to reflect on his own thoughts to see if it was possible to trust his arch-nemesis, or at least, formerly. "If your leader Megatron is willing to discontinue this war, I will allow it so," Optimus declared calmly before continuing, "I have promised there will be no more fighting as of today, and I will keep to my word as long as your leader lives to that promise also."

"That is what I am exactly seeking, Prime!" the Decepticon leader spoke loudly with a cruel-sounding yet promising and trustworthy voice. "If we continue the war, the Cybertronians will cease to exist. It is important that we carry on our legacy and teach it to future generations so they do not repeat the mistakes that ultimately spelled doom for our race." To prove that his words were trustworthy enough to the Autobots, he was armed with nothing more than his rusted, robotic claws. His spark was fading rapidly and the thought of continuing combat was a mere memory within the shell of what was once Cybertron's most feared warrior. He turned to the remaining Decepticons before growling, "Guns down."

Though filled with doubt, the troops that loyally followed Megatron obediently tossed their weapons to the ground, their every movement carefully observed by the NEST soldiers and the Autobots.

Ever since Megatron witnessed Optimus's noble efforts of defending the human race during their first encounter at Mission City, he began to change. No matter how brutally he destroyed any form of resistance, let it be humanity or a brave yet foolish Autobot, he always admired the Prime's bravery and valiant behavior of defending all sentient life even if the Decepticon murdered as much as he could possibly kill. However, he never openly admitted it as he allowed his brutality, pride and tyranny to override such thoughts that ran through his circuits.

Optimus Prime knew Megatron could be changed. He understood that all living beings had a compassionate side no matter how dark and twisted their minds would.

The badly wounded commander raised one of his gigantic and rusty arms and offered it to the Autobot leader as a gesture for a friendly handshake-a sign that peace would be forever kept and that the fighting would finally cease.

"The decision is yours Prime," Megatron growled, his fusion shotgun absent from his other free limb. "End my life here if you wish, but this is my final condolence that I desire to barter with you and your soldiers. My troops will lay down arms if you are willing to do so too."

Optimus sighed. Could Megatron really be trusted? But then, with Cybertron destroyed, there was really no more reason to continue fighting. The crown jewel of their race was extinguished from the stars, its inhabitants now scattered across the cosmos.

The last Prime nodded before wearily returning with, "Very well, Megatron. I accept your truce."

As the human soldiers, Autobots and Decepticons looked on with surprised faces, Optimus Prime and Megatron shook hands as a means of sealing an offering of ending the war for the first time in several centuries. It was an image both sides would have never expected to see ever since the two brothers declared eternal war against each other thousands of years ago on Cybertron.

"It's over at last. If only our ancestors witnessed this day," Megatron whispered quietly as he, along with his remaining troops, departed from the United States peacefully and without any ill-thoughts towards the Autobots and the human forces that escorted them out of the North American sector a few days later.

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><p><strong>A Year or so Later…<strong>

With the conflict finally over, the Autobots and NEST were officially decommissioned and relieved from their military duty, given the fact the Decepticons had formally surrendered and there was no more need to keep a specialized human-Autobot alliance to handle battles that were far too dangerous for a conventional military to undertake. Soldiers like Lennox and Epps returned to their regular civilian lives, while Bumblebee continued his life with Sam as his means of transportation and a hidden guardian should the boy ever be in danger.

As time passed, more Autobots joined Optimus Prime and his troops on Earth, and they were taught to live among the humans in a relatively conflict-free world. This alliance had given humanity some special discoveries too. Space exploration was at its peak thanks to the combined research efforts of mankind's brightest minds and the experienced Autobots. Although some of the Earth's population was not too fond of allowing advanced extraterrestrials residing in the same atmosphere along them, they soon grew accustomed to their new visitors, and it wasn't long that Optimus Prime soon became an important voice and figure in the United Nations. This took a while to accomplish, as there was plenty of paperwork to go over before the Autobot was allowed to speak his parts at the conferences.

"It is today where I declare a permanent alliance between the Autobots and humanity," he boldly announced. "There will be no more fighting and all conflicts will be resolved via diplomatic and peaceful means." Following his speech, a tidal wave of applause echoed throughout the conference chamber at the United Nations headquarters in New York City.

Megatron and the other Decepticons, however, were nowhere to be seen on the face of the Earth. After the battle in Chicago, the diabolical (or at least formerly) Cybertronian disappeared from public view along with his remaining followers. Although many Autobots feared the prospect of the Decepticon leader breaking his words and igniting another global conflict that would see countless innocent lives lost, the fact he never showed himself again and the lack of Decepticon attacks throughout the world made them reassure that the mechanical dictator had kept his word. It only came to light that Optimus Prime was the only one who knew where his brother had fled to, and that was no other than the Saharan wastelands of Africa.

He prepared for yet another confrontation with his sworn enemy, but it never happened. The fellow Autbots that served him and the human allies he had close ties with did not report any further Decepticon sightings throughout the globe, and the equally tired Autobot commander was finally allowed to rest on his laurels-at least until he wasn't needed to assist in the next relief project from natural disaster or conferences with other world leaders.

It was an unbelievable event, even to Optimus. But he had to embrace it-the thousands of years long war waged between the Autobots and Decepticons was officially over and there would be no more bloodshed amongst the two factions.

Although the Decepticons were allowed to reside on Earth under very special circumstances, many of them chose not to. The remaining troops under Megatron's command soon departed from Earth and settled in the Solar System's various planets and moons, such as Jupiter and Saturn's collection of artificial satellites. From there, they developed new colonies as they restarted their lives, hoping to put their devastating pasts behind them. Not all of them had wished to sign up to see the glory of battle. Some admired Megatron's charismatic and encouraging behavior, while some others joined out of fear and intimidation. There were various backgrounds of how the Cybertronians wounded up working for the Decepticons.

Now, with him only left on Earth, the Decepticon leader decided to reside forever in the deserts of Africa, seeking a new meaning in life.

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><p>The sun was in its full glory above the African continent, charring and drying up the sandy terrain of the wilderness that stretched on for miles. Megatron continued his daily routine of patrolling and wandering the deserts needlessly, seeking anything useful that might be of use to feed the hatchlings that resided at his desert base. Occasionally, he would come across countless wild animals in the form of elephants, zebras, lions, giraffes-just about any kind of lifeform one would expect to find in Africa's desert terrain. The animals would survey this mysterious being with curiosity, and the Decepticon leader simply glared back in return, but didn't say a word. Unlike before, he would scare the animals off with his bellowing and roaring. But now, he was simply far too tired and exhausted to perform some basic actions-if anything, he expected his rapidly diminishing spark to short out at any moment. After all, being killed, resurrected, rebuilt, mortally wounded, and fall into disrepair over the course of the past four years meant the trials had worn out his rapidly weakening spark. It was only his determination and perseverance to continue on as a good role model for his troops and followers that kept his body in one piece and in functional order.<p>

_"I haven't had this kind of peace in centuries,"_ he wondered calmly. _"Reminds me of Cybertron during the last few golden ages before the Allspark was launched into space, and the planet began to wilt as warfare slowly deteriorated the once beautiful planet. And to know all of this happened just because two factions failed to negotiate peace with each other."_

Perhaps, for the first time in several thousand years, the barbaric Cybertronian appreciated the harsh yet serene-toned environment. There were almost no signs of human or Cybertronian habitation-no skyscrapers or futuristic constructs stretched into the sky. The only traits he could see was the wilderness stretching for miles across the landscape, with the occasional creature of an earthly origin located here and there.

_"And the Fallen wished to reduce this planet into an icy dead rock, all for his own belief that we should be the superior kind to expand across the universe,"_ Megatron recalled calmly. _"His lies of gifting me the power of a Prime are nothing more than deceptions and false words to manipulate others for his own personal gains."_

Donning his tattered cloak that covered his damaged face, Megatron sauntered across the desert after another hard day of collecting enough minerals and ore to feed the Decepticon hatchlings. As the last fully-fledged Decepticon on Earth (since his lieutenants such as Starscream, Shockwave and Soundwave had perished in Chicago, and the rest of the protoforms had left Earth after the former dictator gave them permission to leave if they wished), his goal was to gather any remaining followers under his command on the planet and provide them with a peaceful residence in his Saharan base before they were ready to leave Earth. The Decepticons were allowed to remain on Earth by human and Autobot authorities, on one condition. They are to be exiled to the remote areas Africa or leave the planet.

Surprisingly, it was a set of terms and requirements that Megatron agreed with without any ill thoughts. He had promised to never take another life again on that day, and so far, he had lived up to that word. No longer armed, the Decepticon only possessed his bare iron claws and fists, but even with them he no longer took any innocent lives. The hands were now used to aid anyone in need, let it be a stranded human in the desert or a wounded aerial Decepticon after crash-landing in the sandy terrain as a result of bad weather.

It wasn't long before he soon came across a quiet village. The settlement was relatively small, with an oasis providing water for the local population, some vegetation, and several primitive-looking houses constructed of mud and straws.

"_Primitive humans…the Fallen would see them all as simple insects. But Optimus, he would see these inhabitants just as worthy of living compared to everyone else, even if they are not capable of communicating with outsiders,"_ Megatron pondered in his tired mind, observing the population wander about in a carefree fashion.

The villagers, surprisingly, were not afraid or fearful of Megatron's presence as he approached the town. Ever since the conflict on Earth ended, Cybertronians had begun to gain a much wider acceptance among the general human population. Approaching the village's oasis, he continued on, carefully making sure not to accidentally step on any human or house that he didn't catch with his optic.

"_Water. The hatchlings need it. Without it, their bodies would dry up in the heat of the environment and their sparks will perish."_

Setting his damaged self down next to the oasis, Megatron began collecting water in several rusted-up barrels with careful scoops, making sure not to take too much from the locals. Night would be falling soon, and the hatchlings back at his camp would expect their master and parental figure to return with supplies that would keep them alive, even if they were meager and often in poor quality.

Children in the village soon learned of Megatron's presence, and amazed by the presence of the quiet yet impressive-looking visitor, they began to waltz over and study the Decepticon. Megatron didn't mind them-he simply carried on with his collection of water, and after he was done, he settled there for several hours to rejuvenate energy for his spark. He lost the ability to transform given his extremely damaged state, and because of this, long treks were a tiring chore for him. He knew his time of existing was drawing to a close, but the Cybertronian was willing to use every last moment to learn what Optimus had attempted to teach him.

"_Is this what Optimus wanted me to learn?"_ he questioned mentally as he observed the children. Many of them began to climb on his impressive stature as if they treated Megatron as a gigantic playground set, while others decorated parts of his body with flowers and other forms of vegetation. Several others proceeded to draw pictures and other kinds of illustrations on his cape, things that Megatron could not seem to identify. A few, noticing the rust on his body, proceeded to polish the worn-out parts with water and towels. The latter action didn't return Megatron to his shiny, silver-armored glory, but they nevertheless washed some of the rusty portions away and returned some luster to the Decepticon's body.

_"They treat me like a guest. Perhaps they do not realize who I truly am, but I can see the resemblance now."_

They were no different from him with the exception of size and height. The young humans all wore tattered and worn-out clothes, and few, if any of them, were able to afford shoes. They were also slightly malnourished but the energetic kids managed to keep enough vigor and spirit to enjoy their lives. The Decepticon couldn't blame them at all for the poor living conditions these small yet humble creatures were subjected to-finding food, water and other precious resources in the wastelands of the Sahara was a difficult task, even for Megatron.

It came to light to Megatron that he was essentially the same as them with his rusted and ruined body, that the two parties, despite their differences in size and power, could be related as the same kind of living being.

While he would immediately begin to crush the "insects" or so he formerly called them, he simply observed them quietly. The loathsome and feared Decepticon commander soon came to realize that this was what Optimus had wanted to teach him ever since the days they became sworn enemies.

That life, no matter where or how you were born, was the same as everyone else. How it matters are the choices you make along the way.

Even if they were living in poor conditions and relatively uneducated, Megatron acknowledged the children's braveness and curiosity. It was clear to him that some of them didn't even realize they were playing on the figure of one of the most feared beings in all of existence, but here…the children acted as if he was like everyone else that resided in the village. No one drove him out-in fact, some welcomed him with friendly waves and gestures.

"_Humans. They are a learning species with plenty of potential bravery, courage, and honor. Perhaps they may not be advanced as our kind, but it is only because they have begun to know of the universe around them. However, they must be aware that with great potential comes great danger…just like how Prime warned us. Unfortunately, I was far too sidetracked to listen to his words, and my actions plunged Cybertron into a state of no return. Perhaps with a little work and effort, Cybertron's legacy can be carried on for the sake of those who look up to us. That way, no other race will have to follow the same path that ultimately doomed our race to a nomadic life. Optimus once said we were no different from them, for we too were once violent, primitive, and power-hungry."_

It was the last sign of Megatron on Earth, according to eyewitnesses, before he departed from the planet and joined his other compatriots in space, expanding their knowledge and history of the once vast empire of Cybertron and its inhabitants.

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><p><em><strong>Well, what do you think? It isn't my best work, but Transformers isn't my best fandom in terms of quality work. Nevertheless, I thought I did a good job making a short story based on the novel adaptation of Dark of the Moon's ending.<strong>_

_**Megatron may be a notorious villain, but I think he isn't purely evil. The movie represented him extremely poorly, in my opinion. Who knew the novel would do a better job of portraying the slightly brighter side of the Decepticon lord? Oh well. Anyways, rate and review!  
><strong>_

_**-Soldier of the Future**_


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